AN: So another chapter. This one is much more...interesting the the last in my opinion. I enjoyed writing this one a lot. The next chapter will probably be longer because it is going to span the rest of the third year, unless it takes more then three days, then I'll just cut it in two and post four parts to her third year instead. I'm sure many can't wait until we get to camp.
The good news is we are almost through with her Hogwarts years. Only four more school years to go through, and the seventh wasn't even really at Hogwarts but a bit of everywhere.
Also the whole diet thing, I know that wasn't until the fourth book but I figured...Dudley needs it bad enough. Also I wanted to clarify to those who are a little unsure of Lily having basically cheated on James. There is a few reason for that, one it's for the sake of the plot. Another reason is that before Lily went on her trip which let her to meeting Poseidon she and James had a large fight.
Fast forward a little into the future and she meets Poseidon. Who could resist a god, much less one of the Big Three? Lily's only human after all, and despite how she may seem in the book I strongly believe that even Lily Potter was not perfect. She made bad choices in her life I'm sure.
I think I've covered the biggest concerns, now we can move on to the chapter itself.
Please enjoy, and R&R!
The Forgotten Daughter.
Chapter 10: The Years Before: Year Three II.
What she expected to find once she got downstairs wasn't what she found. Vernon was grinning madly, as if he had a very bad case of gas. Petunia looked both constipated and grim – which really wasn't all the uncommon for her aunt – and Dudley was being smothered by a fat tub of lard.
Oh, that was Aunt Marge. Marge Dursley was Uncle Vernon's sister. They shared many features, so much so Melinda often wondered if they'd been twins at birth and Marge had latter gotten a sex change. She never had a husband nor did she have any children – thank the gods almighty for that – but she did have devil hounds.
Not to say hellhounds, but dogs of pure evil – like Ripper for instance.
Ripper hated her, and the moment the little bad of teeth saw her he was snapping his jaw at her. But then she realized something... while the woman who turned around looked just like Aunt Marge at first, it wasn't. For once thing she was older looking, for another fatter, if that was at all possible. She really needed a slim fast was her first thought, and Ripper...well Ripper had managed to turn into a chihuahua.
"Uh...Ripper's shrunk," Melinda said, without even thinking.
Ripper – or what seemed to be Ripper – growled like a dog possessed and she began to get that feeling. Like someone was walking over her grave, usually that was a feeling she got when she was about to be attacked by monsters.
"Don't be stupid girl!" Vernon snapped. "Ripper is as large as ever. Now Marge, we've got breakfast ready and some nice whiskey just the way you like."
Petunia nodded, discretely shoving a twenty pound note into Dudley's fat hand.
"So, she's still here I see," Marge sneered but the way she looked at Melinda and said this made Melinda think whoever this was didn't mean it the way Aunt Marge would have meant it.
"Yep," Melinda snapped, narrowing her gaze at the imposter. Trying to figure out if this was some sort of monster. She never got the chance as Uncle Vernon glared and sent her off to take Marge's bags up to the guest room.
::I smell monsters mistress,:: Sesha said, startling Melinda. She jumped, looking down to see her familiar at her feet in the guest room. She must have gone through the cat flap and into the open door of the room.
::Yeah, I think it's my Aunt Marge, and possibly her dog.::
Sesha would have blinked had she had eyelids, but being a Parseltongue it almost looked as if she had blinked. ::The horrid woman who let her dog chase you up a tree? I thought we'd assessed she was a monster already.::
Melinda chuckled. ::No, I mean for real this time. It looks like Aunt Marge and Ripper at first glance but I think that's just the Mist.::
::If so then we need a plan to get out without dying.:: Sesha advised. ::There is also the question of where your real aunt and her beast are.::
Melinda shrugged. ::If I'm lucky they were eaten or won't be seen ever again because of a bad case of amnesia.::
Sesha snickered. ::But you're not that lucky mistress.::
::Sadly,:: Melinda agreed and lowered her arm to her friend. ::Come, we won't be here come tonight.::
Sesha slithered obediently up Melinda's arm and hid under her clothes, wrapped around her left arm but she was so long now she had to coil a few more times and her tail was draped over her shoulders.
Melinda rolled my eyes as she heard the TV go on in the kitchen – a present for their precious Dudders – and the three walrus and a giraffe (Mel had stopped referring to her aunt as a horse when she realized how offensive that was to such beautiful creatures) sat down to breakfast.
Of course they wouldn't wait for her.
She made a pit stop in her room and placed her new stuff in her school trunk, placed her wand in her boot – it was the quickest to draw from until she got a wand holster – and released Hedwig. Melinda told the snowy owl to fly to either the burrow, Greengrass manor or Longbottom manor. She knew sending her owl to Draco or Hermione wouldn't work, Hermione wasn't home and neither was Luna.
Making sure Abyss and Tachýs were secured on her person she held her hand over her trunk and chanted a quick Greek spell – which was basically whispering the words, in the mother of magics name, shrink. She could have simply said shrink in Greek but she still hadn't gotten a great hold on her magic without the use of her magical core or wand.
She didn't like thinking about it to much, the difference between the magic she used without a wand and her magical core but according to her grimoire it was very different. For one the use of magic gained from being a descendant of Hecate was untraceable but tired you out a lot more.
After her trunk was small enough to fit in her pocket she went downstairs. Her so called family had already finished off any food that she might have been able to eat. Aunt Petunia it seemed had thrown the diet out for the day if all that greasy – questionably eatable food considering Aunt Petunia made it – on plates in front of her relatives.
"It's about time girl," Vernon barked, waving a slice of bacon at her. "Pour your Aunt Marge some whiskey. If your good you can have some toast."
"How generous," she whispered under her breath.
"What was that Potter?" 'Marge' asked much to sweetly.
Melinda came back around with the whiskey which she was tempted to smash over her supposed aunts head. Either that or steal for herself.
"You know, your eyes are strange color. Familiar," 'Marge' commented suddenly and she stiffened.
She knew her eyes were like Lily's at first glance but she also knew that Marge had never met Lily Evans. Someone who'd never known her mother well would say she had her fathers eyes and in truth she had both it just depended on the mood she was in to which shade they resembled more.
"You must be mistaken," Aunt Petunia laughed nervously.
Marge grinned darkly at the family around and then slapped Ripper on the snout as Melinda moved back from the progressively more aggressive dog.
"No, not now Sonny," Marge snapped.
"Marge, I know you've had a bit today but that's Ripper not Sonny," Vernon said, making sound almost like he was joking.
Melinda for some reason didn't think that was 'Marge' was talking about.
"Marge," Marge said, tasting the name on her tongue. She sneered as she stood up. "What a disgusting name that woman has. What an even more disgusting family, I almost didn't smell her. I'm glad my dear Sonny boy did."
"Sonny?" Dudley choked, wondering what was wrong with his overbearing aunt.
Melinda back away, listening to Sesha's hissed warning in her ear.
Marge laughed. "Yes, my son here."
Ripper growled louder then a dog it's size should be able to.
"You're not Aunt Marge, are you?" Melinda said coldly.
"What!?" Vernon roared, standing up so fast he nearly flipped the table. Aunt Petunia and Dudley both jumped up and Marge laughed and she began top change before their eyes.
'Marge' was still in need of a diet but she was now some sort of snake woman with a human like head, her body snake-like. When she opened her mouth a bit Melinda could see a set of vicious fangs, her skin as green and scaly, a forked-tongue and eyes like a reptile. To out plainly, she wasn't going to win any beauty pageants any time soon.
'Ripper' was what nearly gave her a heart attack. He grew to the size of a small bear, with the head of a lion, a blood caked mane, the body and hooves of a goat and a ten-foot-long diamondback snake which seem to grow out of it's butt.
A bloody Chimera. Oh all the things to track her down, it had to be this thing!
She had no idea what the green woman was, or who. But she knew that her relatives were screaming bloody murder. It started with Petunia and Dudley and ended with Vernon.
"Run," Melinda hissed at them and Aunt Petunia wasted no time grabbing her husband and son and dragging them off.
"Demigod daughter of Poseidon," the green woman hissed.
"How did you know that?" Melinda asked as she slipped Tachýs off and let it form her trident.
"Your scent, it smells strongly of the sea breeze." Melinda groaned, wonderful her scent gave her away.
"So, who are you?"
"I am Echidna, mother of monsters," Echidna bragged, her voice so full of pride Melinda was surprised she didn't choke on it. "This my son. Chimera, or at least one of them."
"Like the anteater?" Mel asked, cocking her head to the side.
Echidna fumed, her reptilian eyes seeming to glow in fury. "I HATE AUSTRALIA!"
Melinda blanched at the loud sound but had no time to say anything as Echidna pointed at her and the Chimera lunged for her. With wide eyes she lunged to the side and put the counter between them.
The chimera growled and it's tail end lunged for her but she jumped back, swinging her Trident in hoped of slicing it off. She knew that would be a fatal wound if she allowed it to bite her.
"You shall die demigod. You aren't supposed to exist to begin with daughter of Poseidon." Melinda growled.
With her anger getting the better of her she flung her hand out in front of her and thought of a telekinetic shockwave – which was basically what she'd used to destroy the mirror of Erised her first year.
She'd learned from her mother's diaries that she'd had the ability of Telekinesis from her godly blood, one of the few things she inherited besides being a wand witch. The ability had passed to her along with the dormant trait of snake-charming but was more powerful since she was a daughter of Poseidon. It took a lot of energy though.
It seemed to work though, the Chimera and Echidna were flung with force out the glass screen doors into the backyard. The table was splintered and so were the walls and the photos and portraits decorating the area. She didn't wait as she ran out the shattered screen doors and thrust her Trident at the Chimera who was getting back to it's feet.
Echidna was nearly snarling venom as she stood, and Melinda bit her lip as her Trident glanced off a collar she hadn't seen before. She pursed her lip and dodged to the side as the monster reared back and breathed fire. The fire hit the house, and she watched in fascination as part of the kitchen area caught on fire.
Pulling out her wand from her boot Melinda cast a aguamenti at the fire, and wasn't all the surprised at how powerful it was. She was a daughter of a sea god, that spell had always been very powerful once she'd mastered it.
"That was a mistake girl," Echidna sneered. The Chimera growled and walked like a predator stalking it's pray towards her.
Melinda smirked. "Was it?" she asked and concentrated on the water in the air.
Raising her hand at the beast she focused on the area around it and slowing made a claw like motion with her hand, like a very slow forming of a fist. As she did she could feel the tug in her gut and practically see the beast start gasping for breath.
"What are you doing?" Echidna asked.
Melinda smirked.
"Did you know that nearly everything is made out of water. The human body is made nearly completely of water. Brain, lungs, muscle tissue, body fat, bones, even the blood. The air also happens to have water molecules." She chuckled as the chimera suddenly dropped painfully to the ground. "I just so happen to be the daughter of Poseidon. Do the math Anty."
"You despicable little bitch! Die demigod!" Echidna screamed, lunging forward but she was ready. She dropped her hold on the chimera and let her Trident become level with the mother of monster, so fulled by rage the monster realized to late that she'd be impaled on Tachýs.
Melinda stood, pulling Tachýs free and let it transform from Trident to sword form. She didn't allow Echidna to prove that she could survive her wound and swung, severing the mother of monsters head from her shoulders. She burst into dust, but she knew sooner or latter Echidna would reform. Turning her attention to the chimera, she was barely in time to dodge it's tail.
::Keep your filthy fangs out of my mistress!:: Sesha hissed as she slithered from her Melinda's shirt and onto the ground, ready to strike.
::Don't be foolish Sesha, you're not fully grown yet.:: Melinda said and then gasped. Of course, holding her hands out towards Sesha she said in Greek – grow, and to her relief Sesha became as thick as a tire, and about twenty-five feet long, give or take.
::Ooh, this is nice,:: Sesha hissed contently, and then hissed angrily at the chimera.
"Distract it Sesha!" Melinda gasped as she dodged more dire which lit a tree in the backyard on fire. The Dursley's were going to blow a gasket.
::With pleasure mistress,:: Sesha said and then Melinda had time to see Sesha strike, wrapping around the chimera's body and fight with it's snake-tail. Sesha was bigger then it, but it still put up a fight, and then she had to maneuver so the lions head didn't bit her at the same time.
With worry Melinda ran into the house and turned the sink faucets on full blast and then ran back out side.
"Hey ugly!" Melinda cried, concentrating on the water inside the house at the same time.
She smiled wickedly as the tug in her gut told her the water was at her command. The chimera turned to her and roared at her, mouth wide open and she raised a hand and pulled the water forward and forced it towards the chimera who'd just lost the use of it's snake-tail from Sesha's venom.
Sesha as if sensing the water's approach unwound her body from the chimera just as Melinda forced the water into the chimera's mouth and into it's body, to it's lungs. She might have been able to kill it simply by the water it possessed in it's body but she hadn't practiced that ability much because she really didn't want to be able to control a life like that.
It felt wrong, but using water from an outside source to drown it from the inside out was okay.
It took about a minute before it dropped dead and became monster dust. Left behind was a large fang. It would make a nice dagger, Melinda thought as she walked over and picked up the tooth. It was as as thick as her wrist and about eight inches long, give or take.
::Good work Sesha,:: Melinda told the tired snake.
She waved her hand and whispered, return in Greek and Sesha glowed a dark green and returned to her normal size. Sesha slithered up to her place under Melinda's clothes and Melinda tucked her spoil of war into the waste band of her skinny jeans (she had gotten a new wardrobe the year before when she had went to the alley with the Weasleys).
Melinda knew she had to get out, as she walked out the back gate, body aching from hitting the ground, or being slashed by the damn chimera's claws, and exhausted from use of pure magic she didn't notice the large black dog watching from the bushes. His eyes wide in shock.
xXx
Melinda found her way to the Leakey Cauldron thanks to the Knight bus. Once there she was met by the Minster. She didn't think she liked Minster Fudge to much, not to mention his name pretty much said he was Fudge at any job he tried to do.
She was happy to get rid of him, even if he had given her warning about using magic at her relatives. He didn't seem to know of the fight with Echidna or her son, or know that she'd left Privet Drive half burnt and destroyed. He just assumed she'd used a aguamenti to get a drink or clean something. She was let off with a warning since it was her first offense.
What really sparked her interest was Sirius Black. She had seen him in the book on family trees she'd read, he was a relation of her step-fathers and hers through adoption. But there wasn't much to go on, that all changed the day she met the Weasley's and Hermione in Diagon Alley.
"Mel!" Hermione cried, pulling her into a hug.
Melinda grinned and looked at her friend as they pulled back. Hermione had grown over the summer, and was now taller then Melinda's 5'3 – a height Melinda was pretty happy with right now. Her hair was less bushy and she had fixed her teeth somehow. Probably with magic she thought logically.
Ron had also hit a growth spurt, and was probably close to 5'6 now, if not taller. She had a feeling he'd be as tall if not taller then the twins one day. His hair was shorter and seemed to stick up in the front more, but he still looked like Ron.
She had changed too, she'd developed more and Aunt Petunia had been forced to take her to buy bra's that summer. In the right size and all, much to her surprise. Her hair had also gotten longer, Melinda had decided she would grow it as long as she could, so now it reached the top of her butt, and was currently in a tight braid with silver woven in it (something Mrs. Weasley had taught her last summer).
"Ugh, why do you keep that vermin?" Melinda asked, her face twisted in disgust as she pulled back from a attempted hug she planed to give Ron at the sight of Scabbers.
"Hey, Scabbers is a great pet!"
"I don't like rats Ron, it's nothing personal," Melinda said, not realizing how wrong she was.
Ron scowled. "Well I don't like snakes."
Melinda smirked, and turned back to Hermione.
"How was France?" she asked.
Ron groaned. "You had to ask that, she's been rambling about it nonstop since we got here."
Hermione frowned at Ron darkly. "It was great, you should have come with us. My parents were willing to pay for your ticket."
Melinda paled. "Uh, sorry I just don't think it would have been a good idea. Flying and all."
That was an understatement. Even if Zeus was unaware of who she was chances were flying on a plane would still get her blasted to bits. It was a risk she was unwilling to take.
Hermione and Ron exchanged looks. "You love to fly," Hermione said and Melinda nodded slowly.
"Yeah, but on a broom!"
Hermione laughed. "You're okay with a flimsy peace of wood keeping you in the sky but when it comes to a semi-comfy airplane you're afraid?"
"Yeah," Melinda said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Oh, Melinda dear!" Mrs. Weasley said, coming over with Mr. Weasley.
Melinda smiled at them and Mrs. Weasley blanched at the sighed of the large snake draped over her shoulders.
"Merlin, what is that thing doing with you Melinda!?" Mrs. Weasley asked, raising her wand.
Melinda's eyes widened and she stepped back, a hand coming up protectively to Sesha.
"Mum, no!" Ron gasped. "That's Sesha, her familiar!"
Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley both looked startled but with hesitance let it go.
"Really Mrs. Weasley, Sesha won't hurt me or anyone else," Melinda tried to reassure.
"If you say so dear, and please, call me Molly," Mrs. Weasley – Molly said.
"Yes, and I'm Arthur," Mr. Weasley – Arthur agreed.
"Now, we have a long day if we want to get everything on your lists," Molly said and Melinda was ushered out along with her friends to buy her things.
It was few days later that she was taken aside by Arthur and told about Sirius Black.
He was supposedly a big supporter of Voldemort and would most likely come after her as revenge. Melinda wasn't to surprised, it would be just her luck that something like this would happen. Mass murderer escaping from Azkaban to kill her for something she did with the help of her mother, great-grandmother and father at age one.
Great, a insane murderer was after her blood. What else wasn't new?
The day before September 1st found her at the ice cream parlor – she could never remember it's name expect that it started with a f and reminded her flurry – or maybe she was just way off? It didn't help that signs were in English, she'd gotten so used to reading Greek over the years it was basically her first language now.
The owner was really kind, and didn't seem to make a shine over having Melinda Potter in his ice cream cafe. He usually gave her free Sundays, no matter how much she protested.
"Melinda." Looking up she was met with sky blue eyes and a familiar sharp elven face.
"Daphne," Melinda said, smiling. "How are you and Tori?"
Astoria – Tori – Greengrass was a second year this coming year, and was smiling at her almost shyly from her older sister's side. Her hazel eyes bright in the sunlight. Both sisters were nearly identical but Daphne had a medium honey brown hair color and sky blue eyes while Astoria had hazel eyes and dirty blonde hair.
"Fine. How are you? Hedwig arrived the beginning of August, we were sort of worried something was wrong. Then she left not long after she arrived..." Daphne trailed off as she and Tori sat down across from her.
Melinda nodded. "I'm fine. My Aunt Marge came to visit and we don't get along very well. I had to get out of there before we started a bloodbath – " She almost wanted to snort at the irony of her own words. " – so I sent her away, told her to come and find me later."
"Are you sure you're a Gryffindor?" Tori asked and Mel smirked, closing her mouth around a spoonful of ice cream at the same time.
Melinda swallowed and pulled the spoon out of her mouth. "Well, I may have persuaded the hat to chose Gryffindor."
The three girls laughed.
"Where is Sesha?" Daphne asked. Both girls had been oddly fond of the serpent. Most feared Sesha, but those two had instantly taken a liking to the snake.
"She's hunting some rats, she'll be back in a little bit," Melinda said and then grinned. "You two want to go somewhere?"
"Sure," Daphne said, standing along with Tori. "We only have an hour before we have to go home, our parents are a bit hesitant to let us out with Sirius Black on the loose."
Melinda frowned as they walked. "Yeah, I've heard of him."
She wouldn't know it now but tomorrow would start a new adventure. One filled with betrayal, confusion, friendships and illogical paradoxes.
All in all the Fates had a lot in store for the young demigod, she just didn't know it yet.